SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
August 7, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 8/13/19
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Melissa!
*Shootings
*Responsibility for Jail
*Both Can Be True!
*Cosgrove Pork Day
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Melissa!
My wonderful wife Melissa Fath celebrates her birthday on August 17th. I have got to tell you – Melissa Fath is AMAZING! Her ability to balance cancer research with her roles as a wife, mother, and community member – I have no words to do it justice! I guess I’ll just stick to: Happy Birthday, Honey! I love you!
*Shootings
There is nothing I can add. Mitch McConnell is an evil, evil man. He will have an eternity in which he can discuss all these mass shootings with the killers themselves.
*Responsibility for Jail
The staff at the Johnson County Jail suffered through yet another untenable situation last week, as a clogged sewer pipe broke and flooded portions of the first floor. This is not a new phenomenon, unfortunately; it happens about once per year, to varying degrees.
Let’s be very clear: County employees should not have this happen at their place of employment. And Facilities staff should not have to clean it up. But the jail was underbuilt and poorly designed in 1981, and there is no easy fix.
There have been attempts to fix things. A Jail bond vote got 34% in 2000, before Sheriff Pulkrabek and myself were in office. We made a run at it in 2012 and got 56%; a year later, we got 54%.
I say “we” and I mean it! I was part of the campaign committee. I never missed a meeting. I wrote letters, made phone calls, spoke to civic groups, did interviews with radio and television – I did everything I could to get this to pass. I used a lot of political capital. I really tried. Unfortunately, it was not enough.
This is why I am furious at some of the recent comments on Sheriff Pulkrabek’s Facebook Page. I do not begrudge Lonny putting his frustrations out there; he SHOULD do that! His staff deserves better! But I am tired of all the armchair quarterbacks blaming the Board of Supervisors. Here are some facts to consider:
If you want to blame the Supervisors, understand that only two of us (Supervisor Rettig and myself) were on the Board for the ’12 and ’13 votes. I take responsibility for my role in the two failed efforts. It is unfair to hold the three newest Supervisors to the same standard.
If you want to blame Supervisors for not attempting a bond issue since ’13? Reconsider your anger. Lonny has not wanted to try. And I support that decision. The public spoke twice, and they earned a pause in our efforts. Additionally, there are no plans in terms of what, where, or when. Planning a jail takes a long time, and you simply can’t do a vote overnight.
If your argument is, “Supervisors should have paid for this instead of the Conservation Bond,” you don’t understand public finance. Over 60% of voters approved the Conservation Bond. The jail never got the required 60% supermajority. Supervisors do not decide this; the public does.
If your argument is, “Supervisors should have just saved for it,” again, you don’t understand public finance. We MIGHT be able to save $1-2 million per year. Maybe. A jail would be at least $50 million; probably $80 million. Accounting for inflation, it would take us almost 100 years to save enough to build that type of structure.
Finally, and most importantly, where were these critics when we were trying to get this passed? I remember every person who came to meetings, took call packets, etc. I do not recall seeing ANY of them!
Before you criticize other people for our failure to pass a jail bond, look in a mirror. What did you do? Did you actively work to get it passed? If not? Save your criticisms!
*Both Can Be True!
I think the most difficult thing in politics is dealing with a question to which there are multiple correct answers. For some reason, people just have a really hard time accepting the fact that more than one answer can be true.
Locally, the failed jail bond is a good example. Some people opposed it because of the cost. Some opposed it because of the location. Some opposed it because of the design. Some opposed it because of disproportionate minority contact in our criminal justice system. Some opposed it because they believe marijuana should be legal (or at least decriminalized). Some opposed it just to put a thumb in the eye of the local Democratic Party.
There are 6 separate, very different reasons for opposing that initiative. You do not have to agree with ANY of the stated reasons. But they are all real in the minds of some voters. And if each one led to 7% of the public voting no? There is the 42% that voted against the project. (60% was required to pass.)
I have seen the same thing applied to the 2016 Clinton Campaign. She was not likeable. She ran a poor campaign. She ignored battleground states. Misogyny. Russian interference. James Comey. Bernie Sanders. Jill Stein.
There are 8 separate, very different explanations for her loss. You do not have to agree with ANY of the stated reasons. But they are all real in the minds of some voters. Taken together, they add up to a loss.
Now we are poised for the 2020 Presidential Campaign, and I once again see folks struggling with questions that have multiple correct answers: Should we focus on the base? Should we focus on Democrats who failed to vote in ’16? Should we focus on Obama-Trump voters? Should we focus on healthcare? Should we focus on black women? Should we focus on rural voters?
The answer – in every case – is YES! We can have multiple truths! We live in a complex world. There is no silver bullet – we must do lots of things, and do them all well. And we can. The first step is stopping this silly fighting, and recognizing that sometimes the answer is, “all of the above.”
*Cosgrove Pork Day
St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Cosgrove is holding its annual Pork Day on Sunday, August 18, 2019. There is a Polka Mass at 11:00, followed by dinner from 11:00 - 1:00. (Under 5: free; 6-12: $9; 13+: $13) There is also a raffle, kiddie rides, music, a beer tent, and much more.
*DID YOU KNOW? There were several things “cut out” of the 1981 jail which continue to dog us to this day. It is is case study in why you need to build things correctly the first time!
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 8:12 PM
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